CAIRO — One of Egypt’s ruling generals said Monday the military will expand a state of emergency because of a “breach in public security” after protesters stormed Israel’s embassy and clashed with police, state news agency MENA reported.

The ruling military council issued a decree to widen the scope of the emergency law — restricted in 2010 by ousted president Hosni Mubarak to narcotics and terrorism cases — to target labour strikes and the “spread of false rumours.”

It will also target acts that “disrupt traffic,” MENA reported. That could possibly outlaw many demonstrations like the regular protests held after an uprising overthrew Mubarak in February.

“Widening the scope of crimes liable under the emergency law along with terrorism and narcotics is the result of the security conditions the country is undergoing and the breach in public order,” the agency quoted General Mamduh Shahin as saying.